


The Long Haul

by cathrheas



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A little Introspection, F/F, Fluff, Jewelry, Long-Distance Relationship, Love Confessions, Marihilda Week (Fire Emblem), Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22250365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathrheas/pseuds/cathrheas
Summary: "Um, this is stupid, but...I take this kind of thing seriously, so I want to know. Do you remember the promise I made to you? On our graduation day?”“Of course! It’s important to me, too,” Marianne said. “You promised we’d be best friends forever.”“Right. Well, um, about that. I think I might have lied. A little.”“...Oh.”
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 5
Kudos: 126





	The Long Haul

**Author's Note:**

> MariHilda Week Day 2: Jewelry/Future/Long Distance

Promises made Marianne nervous. Giving them, taking them. The world was so fast-paced and difficult to approach that keeping promises was near impossible. She never got angry at people for breaking any promises they made to her, because even if they’d done it on purpose, they surely had a reason. They had more important things to think about, like their family, their friends, themselves. Marianne had accepted her low place on the totem pole of life, so when someone promised her something, she never got her hopes up.

Until Hilda promised her something, of course.

Marianne tried her hardest not to expect anything, but Hilda, even though she was known to be a little shifty, seemed so sincere that Marianne  _ did _ come to expect something. Hilda had done everything in her power to make herself seem earnest. She held Marianne’s hand, forced Marianne to make eye contact with her, and slid a charm bracelet, lovingly hand-crafted, into Marianne’s pocket.

“I promise, Marianne. We’ll be friends forever and ever,” Hilda said.

That was the day of their graduation. Five years later, Marianne still held her at her word.

It felt good, actually, to trust someone. To think, even if it didn’t turn out to be true, that someone as sweet and beautiful and  _ perfect _ as Hilda would make any sort of promise to her and keep it...it was intoxicating. Marianne felt worth something.

Hilda must have sensed that small bit of insecurity, because over the years, Hilda made sure to keep her promise. Things were heating up in Goneril territory, with the Almyrans trying to take advantage of the war in Fodlan to invade, but Hilda always found time to send letters...and go shopping, apparently.

_ Hello, sweet little Marianne! I hope this letter finds you well, _ she’d begin, and Marianne always blushed at “sweet little Marianne”. Hilda would rant about whatever was going on in her life, usually to complain about her brother being too bold and too violent. And then she’d briefly mention the new charm she’d attached, telling Marianne to add it to her bracelet.  _ Or don’t! I’ve sent you a lot so you might not even have room for them all. Pick and choose which ones you think are the cutest! _

A leaf, a music note, a horse (the only one that Marianne refused to remove), a heart, a rose. Marianne wondered where Hilda got those, how much they cost, or if she just made them herself. Hilda liked making accessories, but...the silver and gold charms had to have been welded, right? Marianne couldn’t see Hilda doing it.

But it didn’t matter where the charms came from, or even why Hilda sent them. She was keeping her promise. Even after they graduated, even after the war ended, they still talked. Marianne wrote letters back, pouring out affection and gratitude. Sometimes, their letters got more emotional, as Marianne talked about herself, her decision to love herself more.

_ I’m glad you decided to. We can love you together, _ Hilda replied, with a neatly-filled in doodle of a heart.

Oh, how Marianne smiled.

The five year reunion crept up on them. Marianne was the one to remind Hilda of it, a month before it happened.  _ I’ll see you there, right? _

Hilda didn’t respond.

Marianne tried to get herself together, tried to convince herself that Hilda wouldn’t break their promise. They hadn’t seen each other in five years. What if Hilda didn’t show up? Marianne forced herself to swallow the fear. She packed up and rode to the monastery on the reunion day, choking back tears as she did so.

_ She’ll be there. She wouldn’t miss this opportunity to see me. _ Marianne repeated those sacred words to herself, believing it would make them come true.

And they did. Marianne wanted to chalk it up to luck from the Goddess, or some good karma, but she knew that Hilda came to the reunion because of her. Because of the promise that she made.

It wasn’t a perfect reunion. Marianne didn’t expect it to be, in the middle of a broken-down monastery that was infested with bandits. But Marianne saw it in Hilda’s eyes; a thin film of tears, the wavering grin. And then it was back to how it was before, and they felt like little girls again. They held hands as they walked through the ruins of the monastery, giggled at one another as they helped with reconstruction.

Marianne had become more faithful in herself, more comfortable with asking for help. And she didn’t mind giving Hilda plenty of tea and cakes in return. In fact, she enjoyed their time together, no matter how it came about.

One day, Hilda came to their tea party with a little pouch in hand. She set it on the table, and Marianne went to touch it, to look at it, but Hilda stopped her. “No! Not yet,” Hilda said. “I want to have a little chat with you first.”

“Is it a charm?” Marianne had started to miss the new additions to her bracelet, although it was jam-packed with charms from all over Fodlan. She still wanted a new one, just to have a gift...

“No. Well, maybe. I just...” Hilda sighed, averting her eyes. “Sorry for not responding to your letter, first of all. About the reunion.”

Okay, so Marianne  _ wasn’t _ being overly paranoid about the lack of response. Great. “It’s fine. Was everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just—I wasn’t sure I  _ should _ come, y’know? I’m usually bold about these kinds of things, but I...I was feeling something I don’t think I’m used to feeling. And I wasn’t sure what to do, so my first instinct was just to avoid talking about it, avoid confronting it. Then I realized that that’s not a very ‘Hilda’ thing to do,” Hilda said, laughing at herself.

“No, it isn’t. But...what were you trying to avoid?”

Hilda inhaled. “I’m getting there. Um, this is stupid, but...I take this kind of thing seriously, so I want to know. Do you remember the promise I made to you? On our graduation day?”

“Of course! It’s important to me, too,” Marianne said. “You promised we’d be best friends forever.”

“Right. Well, um, about that. I think I might have lied. A little.”

“...Oh.”

“Because, um, the way things are going...”

“No, I get it.”  _ Of course. _

“Marianne—”

“No, it’s fine.”  _ Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t. _

“Don’t hate me.”

_ I could never hate you.  _ “I w-won’t, I told you, I get it—”

“I love you. And being friends isn’t good enough for me anymore. And I know you like the charms, but I saw this ring, and I bought it. It doesn’t have to mean anything, especially since you probably won’t talk to me after this, but—please. Wear it. Please.”

Marianne watched, dumbstruck, as Hilda opened the pouch and dropped the ring into her hand. She held it out to Marianne, and when Marianne looked up at Hilda’s face, she realized that Hilda was crying, too.

“Hilda...?”

“I don’t want to be just friends. I know it’s selfish, but I don’t,” Hilda admitted. Then, she groaned, laughing in between. “Goddess, I look hideous when I cry...I thought I’d be fine, just...sending you gifts and letters, and pretending I wasn’t in love with you. But I hated it, even when I loved it. And I kept thinking about the future, and the idea of you having a husband, and children, and moving on without me. And I  _ hated _ it. So, I’m sorry. Now, just...tell me off, so I can start getting over it.”

Marianne shifted, watching the tea in her cup stir when she bumped the table. Hilda’s hand was shaking, holding out the ring, and she seemed to be barely holding it together. “I’d like to keep the ring.”

“I want you to keep it.”

“I want it to mean something, Hilda. Because...I love you too.” Marianne took the ring from Hilda’s hand, unable to ignore how sweaty Hilda’s palms were. Hilda’s hand fell flat to the table, and she looked at Marianne’s hands, watched Marianne slide the band onto her finger. “You made a promise to me, and you kept it. Now, I want us to make a new promise. To be committed to each other. And to love each other. Is-is that okay?”

Marianne placed her hand, the one with the ring attached, on top of Hilda’s. Hilda seemed a bit surprised, but the shock on her face quickly melted into a smile. “Yeah. I think I like that.”

**Author's Note:**

> 4 FUCKNG CLASSES TODAY what the FUCK was i thinking when i made my schedule


End file.
